The present invention relates to a removable-medium apparatus and control method thereof, and more particularly to a removable-medium apparatus and control method thereof that are capable of preventing data stored on a removable medium from leaking over a network.
Data such as image data that was taken by a digital camera, or text that was created by a computer is stored on a memory card that can be freely mounted or removed (removable medium). That memory card is mounted in a card reader (removable-medium apparatus) that is connected to a network, and the data that is stored on the memory card is read and inputted to a computer that is also connected to the network.
However, in order to increase security when transmitting or receiving data over the network, the user must input a user name and password, and access is allowed only when the correct user name and password are inputted. Therefore, the user must correctly input the user name and password each time when accessing the data. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-196241, an apparatus is disclosed in which in order to improve the convenience of the work of inputting the user name and password, after the user name and password have been inputted one time, that information is stored on an IC card, and every time after that the apparatus uses the IC card to automatically set that information.